VFDs discuss new policies in contracts

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Auditing, social media at center of talks

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County Fire

Auditing and social media policies in county volunteer fire department contracts were the focal points of discussion among VFD chiefs and members during the county fire chiefs meeting Monday night.

Six VFDs had members present: Arbala, Como, Cumby, Dike, North Hopkins and Tira. Absent were Brinker, Miller Grove, Pickton-Pine Forest, Saltillo and Sulphur Bluff. County commissioners Mickey Barker, Greg Anglin, Wade Bartley and Joe Price and County Judge Robert Newsom were also present.

AUDITING REQUIREMENT

Cumby VFD Fire Chief David Weather-bee started the discussion regarding the new auditing requirement in the contract. He said his department agrees with the audit requirement, but he still has a few reservations.

“We got a little increase [in our budget] this year, but now we’re going to consume a portion of that, maybe half, to have an audit done,” Weatherbee said. “Our perspective is that we already feel like we do that in the way we run the department.”

Newsom said County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook would audit the departments at no charge if they brought her the materials needed.

“We don’t want to make this a hardship,” Newsom said. “You are the ones that brought it up to protect yourselves in the future.”

Weatherbee said departments always had to account for county funds, and he said other VFDs in the past viewed a mandatory audit of all department funds, including those fundraised, as an overreach.

“Seventy-five percent of the funds that we use to operate, we raised ourselves,” Weatherbee said. “Why is it the county’s business?”

As reasons for the audit, Dike VFD Fire Chief A. G. Sandifer pointed to past problems with VFD members mishandling money, the latest example coming from former Como VFD Chief Darren Harris and Treasurer Roy Darby who were arrested in August on charges of theft of property after an investigation by the Texas Rangers.

North Hopkins VFD Fire Chief Bobby Harris, whose department’s funds were misused by its former chief in 2017 according to KETR, added some local accountants would conduct audits at no cost if the department provided the materials.

“I’ve done it for the past two or three years,” Sandifer said. “I’ve had a CPA look at my stuff.”

At the request of Arbala VFD member Clay Bartley, Newsom and the commissioners said a letter from a CPA would be sufficient to fulfill the audit requirement for the county contract.

“These audits are not just for us, the Commissioners’ Court,” Wade Bartley said. “It’s for everybody in the community, because the money you raise is money people come in and donate.”

“This [mishandling of money] has happened three times,” Barker said. “It’s not just a black eye on the individual fire departments or departments as a whole. It’s a black eye on the county.”

Clay Bartley expressed a concern that the county would cut funds if they saw high fundraising numbers from department audits, something Newsom said would not happen.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Weatherbee also led discussion on the social media policy in the contract, saying he saw it as a “pretty strong overreach” on the county’s side.

The example code of conduct handed out by Weatherbee does not specifically address social media, but he said it requires firefighters to conduct themselves in a positive manner on and off duty.

“I think it could be in today’s political atmosphere taken out of context and used to be harmful,” Weatherbee said. “I don’t think we should be regulated through this contract for this purpose.”

He also added the policy had no rule to remove firefighters violating it, and Weatherbee said he could see a “nasty battle” on social media being fought between the county and the firefighter.

“The community is going to be wondering what is wrong with their fire department,” he said.

Weatherbee instead suggested fire departments be required to have codes of conduct similar to the National Volunteer Fire Council’s code of conduct. This way, he said, the departments would have oversight over their members instead of the county.

Newsom agreed the policy was “unenforceable” and called it “guidelines.” He called the code of conduct “tougher” for departments.

After discussion, the fire chiefs decided to have the code of conduct as a supplement to the contract and have all current and new members sign an agreement to follow a countywide code of conduct for VFDs.

OTHER BUSINESS

Background checks for new members were another issue brought forward by Weatherbee, saying there were not specific criteria listed in the contract.

Endsley suggested they follow the Texas Commission on Fire Protection’s criteria for paid firefighters, and Weatherbee agreed to it.

Newsom said new contracts would be delivered soon, and he said there was a cutoff date for departments to sign.

Como VFD Assistant Fire Chief Matt Green expressed his thanks to the departments and the county for their support during department’s closure after Harris’ and Darby’s arrests in August.

The next county fire chiefs’ meeting is set for Jan. 6, 2020.